Spotlight
Roy Wilson, GT/AP Coordinator, Sheridan School District, says, “The river of education was flowing long before I jumped in.” After 46 years in education, he leaves behind a stunning legacy.
In 1974, at age 20, when a “practice teacher” filled with
History Teacher of the Year for Arkansas.” That summer, he
enthusiasm and idealism from Henderson State University
attended a week-long workshop sponsored by the
arrived at Sheridan Junior High, he had little clue that his
Economics Arkansas group and won the junior high
future was about to be determined. Then Sheridan
competition with an economics lesson plan entitled: An
Superintendent Clyde Koon, asked him to join the faculty, saying: “We
Econography of Trade 1492-1765. Hoping for the monetary prize, Roy
project an opening in social studies
taught and documented the
next fall due to growth. We believe
necessary elements and entered it in
that one day you will be a good
the Bessie B. Moore Economics
teacher.” That shy kid who arrived only four months past a teenager,
Contest sponsored by Economics Arkansas, where he received second
eventually would receive at least 20
prize. During that school year he was
individual teaching awards over a
honored with the Grant County
46-year career at Sheridan. Credit
Secondary Educator of the Year
for this adventurous career must go to Brinda and Linda Franklin of
award from the Chamber of Commerce.
Roseboro, 1970 graduates of
After dusting off a UALR gifted
Glenwood High School in Pike
education class lesson with an
County, who introduced Roy to the
additional fifteen activities for 8th
required paperwork known as a degree plan. Enrolling as an
grade history students, the result was a 250-page entry, From Clabber Girl
accounting major, Roy was finding
Days to Walmart Ways.
the history topics of the professors
won first place in both the state and
to be immensely more interesting.
national economics competition. Roy
To save money, the idea of Sheridan was attractive since Roy
did make that speech on Capitol Hill courtesy of the National Council for
could stay with relatives during the internship. He would go on to work for six superintendents: Clyde Koon, Donald Turney, David Robinson, Scott Spainhour, Dr. Brenda Haynes, and Jerrod Williams. In the 1980s, after editing a 500-page county history, Roy would be honored to receive seven yearly nominations for a state award by a determined local DAR chapter. In 1991, he received the State Chapters, DAR “Outstanding American
The lesson
Economic Education. A second book, Sheridan and Grant County, would follow in 2012, as part of Arcadia Publishing’s “Images of America” series. In 2002, after being nominated by a student, Roy received the Walmart Arkansas Teacher of the Year and was awarded $5000 for his school. Roy received a Gifted Educator’s Award at the annual convention of the Arkansas for Gifted in 2005 and, after
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